Headlights

[mrheehee]

I just bought a 1988 ascMcLaren, its own it's way here now from Kali. I haven't seen it in person yet but I noticed the headlights were yellowed, just like the headlights on my Grand Cherokee were. I got some glass lens E Code headlights for it, are there similar units available for my car? I saw some one piece units on ebay (headlight, turn and park(?) in one housing) they looked interesting but I don't know how they would perform - anybody try these?

Thanks -

[bryan]

Welcome, MrHeehee. Congrats on the new car.

Despite the graphics a previous owner put on my car, I'm very biased towards keeping things original, so I would highly recommend keeping the FoMoCo headlights. There are also people you can take the originals to to have them refurbished, or you can by kits to do it yourself.

I'd check out your various options at 50resto.com or other sources before you drop any money on eBay lights of questionable quality. They have both original and aftermarket options. Just keep in mind that I think you have to buy the seals separately.

[mrheehee]

I already decided against the one piece unit as it has no means of adjustment. I refinished the housings on my Jeep twice before finding the glass E-Code housings. The refinishing doesn't last long so I'll get some new original units from Ford.
Did Ford sell Fox body cars in Europe? Jeep sold Grand Cherokees there and that's how I was able to get them for the Jeep. The performance difference is amazing and they don't really look different, except that they're not yellow -

[ROG]

Congrats on the car.

I picked mine up a few weeks ago, not sure about the lights. I am just learning about the asc myself. Good luck

[Sandy]

Freehold, i'm in Bloomfield.

[ROG]

Yep, just a few miles south..... Are there any special car shows for mustangs in NJ ?

Thanks RO'G

[Sandy]

Theres a big one in late August. It's up Rt 46. At a Ford Dealer.
I have not yet made it, as it's always on a day when it's going to be 96 degrees with a late afternoon cloudburst.

There are lots of mixed brand shows around. Come April go to Hemmingsmotornews.com and then to New Jersey and then to car shows, and it will give you a listing, time date, place & directions.

The best show that I go to is the entire North East (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass., Ct., N.J. N.Y. Pennsy) GTO Nationals, held on Route 46 at the Marriott Hotel. Simply mind blowing event, again in 98 degrees in August !

There used to be a Mustang Concours in Central Jersey, (I think at Middlesex County College) but it broke up several years ago.

Sometimes there is something at Waronacco Park, in Linden.....but it's not formerely put together, so turnout is spotty. Some years good ( 25 cars) and others lousey (7) cars...

[86capriasc]

For the yellow lights I always use a Mother's aluminum polish. Works great just takes a little elbow grease.

Mike

[mrheehee]

Wellll......

I'm glad to see this is a relaxed, laid back forum.

So I'm going to hijack my own thread and say -

I took delivery of ascMcLaren 1315 today. So I'm all happy about it. After I washed it I'm even happier. It looks, sounds and drives as well as I'd hoped, although I only drove it to the shop for a full checkup tomorrow.

So I have a few questions -

It has a small brake pedal, and an automatic - is that typical? It looks like it came with an auto, no obvious signs of conversion. I wish it had a 5 speed...

The creaky sounds as you roll over uneven terrain, sounds like the windshield? Or just noises convertibles make? Would a shock tower brace be a good thing? I was immediately struck by it's flexibility. But the doors close perfectly so I'm assuming it's not tweaked.

The stitching on the top is coming undone, the windows aren't too bad, the canvas looks good, and I don't plan to have the top up much - repair or new top? A zip down rear window would be great to add if I sent it to a shop. I can remove / install myself.

I still gotta do something with those headlights..............................

[86capriasc]

With the converts it is a good idea to have some subframe connectors welded in. These will make a huge difference in the flexing department.

And seriously try the aluminum polish it works great and is cheap. If you want the spend the xtra money buy a mothers polishing ball, that will speed up the process.

mike

[negusm]

ascMcLaren Coupes were intended for modding....so they almost all came as 5 speeds.

ascMcLaren Verts were intended for cruising....so they came in automatics except for very few 5 speeds.

[Sandy]

All 25 - 1984 Coupes, as well as all 150 1985 Coupes were 5-Speed Manuals. For 1986, Automatic was made available. Of the 115 made for 1986, nine (9) were ordered with automatic, or 8 %. I know a guy who has a brand new one The 9 Autos (I believe) have the 3.73:1 axle ratio. Mine does, and the only other one I ever located also did, so.... ??

The ratio on the Convertibles of 1987 - 1990 AVERAGES (was different each year) ....but the Average of the 4 years of Mustang McLarens was 27.80% were 5-Speeds and 72.20% were Automatics.

[rlyons13]

The Garden State Region Mustang Club has their spring show in April at the ROute 23 Auto Mall in Butler NJ. I live in Piscataway, and will have my 88 ASC McLaren there. Everyone complains that the ASC doesn't get the respect it deserves, yet in this hotbed of McLaren ownership I'm the only one that shows up. WE NEED MORE CARS SHOWING UP AT MUSTANG SHOWS PEOPLE!!!! Great show, judged, club members not eligible for trophies. South Jersey Mustang Club has a few shows planned this year, The Valley Forge club has a show Memorial Day weekend and the 1st PA Club has theirs the third week in August in Cooperburg PA.

As for Ford original headlights, the only place to go anymore is Performance Parts Inc in VA. My old buddy Jim runs the place, and is a great guy to deal with. Just remember that the fox lights are obsolete and he paid dearly for his stockpile, which he sells reasonably. But if you try to nickel & dime him, you're slitting your own throat.

[Sandy]

Thanks, Bob! I just could not remember the name "Butler" !!
BTW, there are only 36 ascMcLarens IN New Jersey (Mustang Variety), so really how many could/would show up at Butler, or for that matter at any other particular show ? The Sunday after Mother's Day is a big show in Millburn (Any & All brands) and in 2005 I took the Capri Coupe and a ascMcLaren Capri 'Vert also showed up - but I never saw him again, after that day. But, at that moment in time, there were 2 at 1 show.

[rlyons13]

Sandy,

Last year I hit the Butler show twice (April & September), the South Jersey Club show off exit 5 on the Turnpike in September and the 1st PA show in Coopersburg (out ROute 78 till PA Route 309 South) in AUgust. All this from north central NJ (Piscataway). If I can do it, surely a handful of the 36 ASC's (not to mention the ones in NY, CT, PA, DE) in NJ could do it too! Maybe not everyone at every show, but a handful at each. If you can guarentee 10 cars for two consectutive shows, most clubs will open a class for you. In the early days of the SVT Cobra, that's what I did. We got a good group of people to hit shows as a block. If we could do this on a regular basis, we may get people to start recognizing these cars.

I like to drive mine from time to time around the area, and you can't imagine how many people want to know about the car. Young people want to know how I built it, older folks remember when they sat on showroom floors with a price tag double that of a fully loaded GT convertible. I gotta believe a concerted push by us for a few years would get the market moving in our direction.